Ridley scout concerned about flag etiquette at schools

Boy scout Ethan McKellar concentrates while demonstrating the appropriate way to fold a flag. The Ridley Middle School student wants to promote flag etiquette to earn the first of several merit badges to eventually attain Eagle Scout. (Times staff / JULIA WILKINSON)

Boy scout Ethan McKellar concentrates while demonstrating the appropriate way to fold a flag. The Ridley Middle School student wants to promote flag etiquette to earn the first of several merit badges to eventually attain Eagle Scout. (Times staff / JULIA WILKINSON)

RIDLEY TOWNSHIP — Ethan McKellar has a deep love for the American flag and one of his favorite duties when he was a safety at Leedom Elementary School was taking down the flag in front of the building at the end of the school day.

So when the now Ridley Middle School sixth-grader noticed the flag was often left flying in front of his old school at night without the obligatory illumination, as required under the rules of flag etiquette, he took his concerns straight to the top and addressed the Ridley School Board at its December meeting.

McKellar, wearing his Boy Scout Troop 339 uniform, told board members that the flag at Leedom School should be taken down at night or a spotlight should be trained on the stars and stripes. His comments about the flag situation led to a conversation with school district superintendent Lee Ann Wentzel, who admitted that there are times when the district isn’t observing the proper flag etiquette.

“Our custodial staff is in charge of the flags and some flags do have lights. I will work with Ethan to improve our flag etiquette,” Wentzel said after the meeting ended.

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Indeed, McKellar said Wentzel asked him the day after the school board met to set up a meeting with middle school principal Adam Staples to make sure everything about the flag at the school is as it should be.

“Generally, I see the Ridley Middle School with the flag up at night,” McKellar said.

The young scout, who is the son of Maureen and Mark McKellar, said he is working on his service project for his citizenship merit badge that required him to attend a school board or a municipal governmental meeting and speak about something that concerned him in his community.

“The flag is a symbol of America and it should be respected,” Ethan said as he outlined his plan the day after he addressed school board members.

“I know students at Leedom, fifth-graders, who are willing to take down the flag right after school ends at 2:35 (p.m.),” Ethan said. “I would teach the students the proper way to take the flag down and fold it. It has to be two people because you have to have one person holding it at each end.”

Ethan plays percussion in the middle school band. He was a cub scout for five years and has been a Boy Scout for one year. He hopes to eventually become an Eagle Scout.